City council could override mayor’s veto for raise

Twice, now, mayor Kabat has
shot down an increase in pay

It’s his job now and he doesn’t think a pay raise is necessary. 

“More than adequate,” are words La Crosse mayor Tim Kabat has used to describe the salary for his current position.

That phrase is in his latest veto message regarding a salary increase voted on by the city council last week. Kabat issued that veto today. It’s the second mayoral raise veto of his term.

The first came just two months ago, the last time the council tried to raise the mayor’s pay. The council had wanted to increase the salary to $79,500. It will stay at $77,200, pending an override attempt by the city council.

That’s all but guaranteed, according to city council member Martin Gaul, who had pressed hard for the raise.  

“I believe he (Kabat) should have come out and supported this because a 1.2-percent increase should be a defend-able position for him to take,” Gaul said. “It’s just unfortunate that he did not.”